Published on Friday, 28 August 2026 at 11:00:00 AM
Two of the region’s most respected sporting awards have joined forces, with the City of Bunbury and the City of Busselton partnering to create the South West Sports Awards – a unified event celebrating sporting excellence across the entire South West.
Building on the proud histories of both the Bunbury Geographe Sports Awards and the City of Busselton Sports Awards, the two cities have come together to develop a single, prestigious regional event that recognises and supports athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and clubs right across the region.
The partnership reflects the deeply interconnected nature of sport across the South West, where many athletes live in one local government area while representing clubs in another. By combining their respective awards into one event, the two cities aim to strengthen the collective voice of South West sport and create an enduring cornerstone event for the community.
City of Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the partnership was a proud moment for the region.
“Sport doesn’t recognise council boundaries – our athletes train, compete and volunteer right across the South West – so it makes perfect sense for our two cities to come together and celebrate their achievements as one region,” Mayor Miguel said.
“By joining forces with the City of Busselton, we’re building something bigger and better for the whole South West. I’d encourage every club, teammate and supporter to get behind the people who make our sporting community so special and put a nomination forward.”
City of Busselton Mayor Phill Cronin said the awards reflected the strength of a united South West sporting community.
“The City of Busselton has a proud history of celebrating our local sporting achievements, and joining forces with the City of Bunbury allows us to build on that success and recognise the incredible talent right across the South West,” Mayor Cronin said.
“This is a true partnership between our two cities and the wider region. Sport brings our communities together, and while Bunbury will be hosting the first awards in 2026, the City of Busselton is delighted that the 2027 awards will be able to be hosted at Saltwater Busselton, our brand new, state of the art venue. I encourage sporting clubs, athletes and volunteers from across the region to get behind the awards and put their nominations forward.”
A key feature of the new partnership is that the awards will alternate between Bunbury and Busselton each year, sharing the event across the region and reflecting the equal partnership between the two cities. The inaugural South West Sports Awards will be held in Bunbury in November 2026, with 2027 being hosted in Busselton.
Alongside co-hosts the City of Bunbury and City of Busselton, additional South West local governments are being invited to come on board as Regional Partners, with these arrangements currently being finalised to ensure the awards reflect and represent the entire South West community.
Nominations now open
Sporting communities across the South West are invited to nominate their standout athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and teams across the following categories:
- The Junior Sports Award
- Para-Athlete of the Year
- Team of the Year
- Club of the Year
- Official of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Service to Sport – Volunteering
- Event/Program of the Year
The evening will culminate in the presentation of the prestigious AJ (Tood) Buswell South Western Times Sports Star of the Year, presented by the South Western Times.
Whether recognising high-performance success or the vital contributions of community volunteers, the South West Sports Awards celebrate the pride, connection and inspiration that sport brings to the region.
Further details regarding the 2026 South West Sports Awards which will be hosted by the City of Bunbury, including the venue and date, will be announced shortly. Nominations for all categories are open from 1 September 2026 to 14 October 2026. Link to nominate >>
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